With several thousand books already written about Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc, you’d be forgiven for thinking there’d be little left to say. But, sure enough, there’s a new SMM book out now and, no doubt, hoards of people, looking for the miracle formula, will buy it.

But, let me save you a few quid. It’s the same as… Well, the same as the author has written about in blogs, talked about on the speaking circuit for several years and a compendium of the best bits from multiple sources – other books and stuff. With a lot of name dropping and blah blah blah about being known, liked and trusted…

Like we haven’t heard that before.

Within the first few pages I was noticing words and phrases that hinted that the author is/was influenced by her fellow writers’ books and I was already starting to think of what else I could have done with my eight quid… Pizza came to mind. Small. Pepperoni.

Interestingly, in it’s objective to teach how to establish “social proof” and “marketable klout” this book talks a lot about “Building Relationships” and yet the author (through first hand experience) is very selective about which relationships they (he or she – I’m not naming names) nurture. I call it “selective engagement.”

The book has some interesting facts and figures – much of which I’d previously read in various places, give or take a few percentage points and give or take a few million when the book talks about “active users” but, regrettably, uses a lot of the same old same old fluff (page filler) many books about social media marketing have used.

Don’t do as I do do as I say – I’m too busy to do as I say but my assistant may decide to reply to you – or not.

I’d love to applaud the book for some of the interesting content and the definite knowledge the author has about becoming popular on Facebook and beyond – but it’s more regurgitation that simply wasn’t necessary.

Was there room on the bookshelf for social media marketing formula 7,001? Did the core ethical objectives of “being social” change last week? I think not. Come on, seriously. How much time does a small business owner have to read and become confused by so many “we know how to do it” books? How can there possibly be thousands of different “ultimate 9 step formula” other than injecting individual personality? There isn’t / aren’t (whatever).

They are all, pretty much, saying the same thing.

My advice is to not read too many of these books else we all become clones of each other. All acting the same, doing the same, saying the same, smiling the same. Never having a bad hair day and never speaking our mind. Sorry but I don;t want to live in a world where hair doesn’t move in the wind and faces don’t move when we laugh, cry or frown.

Yes, there is a core and fundamental lesson to be learned – but haven’t we already learned that we mush be honest, genuine, interesting and as helpful as we can be whenever the opportunity arises? Without droning on about how wonderful we are with a permanent sales pitch at the ready (“buy my stuff it’s awesome”).

I suspect the book was written purely because of the author’s popularity. After all, popularity (Twitter followers / Facebook friends, subscribers and fans) is what signs book deals nowadays – not the quality of the content. If you have people lining up to buy the book, there’s a line up of publishers ready to hit “print” and arrange the writing of the pretentious “forward” by one of your friends – they probably share the same mini-bus while doing the speaking tours…

The “popularity factor” brings to mind the “celebrity” bloggist / Twitterist / Facebookist who jumped off the Facebook bandwagon and headed to pastures new at Google+ and promptly got a new book on the “pre-order” list at Amazon. Crazy. Is Google+ so complex it needs a book written about it? Perhaps not but with 100,000 people lapping up every word, the publisher (and author) know exactly the game they are playing.

But, back to

Yet Another Social Media Marketing Book

I can’t say it’s rubbish – in fact, for newbies it is worth reading (not if you’ve read a handful of the other books out there) – however, sadly I certainly can’t praise it because I am “friends” with the author – on Facebook (probably not after they read this – lol) and have observed, first hand, their social networking habits for some years and am not impressed.

I’m not impressed with any “social media” guide that starts referring to “things you can (and should) automate and/or delegate” because, to me, automation (and delegation) is NOT social.

Sorry, I can’t make it for coffee today, I’m sending my assistant.

If you can’t be arsed to reply to people then don’t “friend” them. If you don’t have time to reply to people, don’t invite them into your network. If you have to go down the automation route you are simply playing the numbers game (willy waving) and have, most likely, reached “Saturation Point” with your “social” activities.

No doubt someone will ask so I’ll tell you: After receiving praise for my work by the author (telling me “you’re awesome” and “you rock, my friend”) they sent me a friend request, I accepted, I sent a message – asking for an opinion about something I was working on, I got no reply, I posted on their wall, I got no reply, I mentioned them on my wall, I got no follow-up, I sent a message, I got no reply (yes I know I already said that but I did it again), I answered comments on their wall but got no follow-up, I mentioned them with praise on Google+, got no comments, I messaged them (again) and got no reply…

Does that sound like “being social” and “relationship building” to you?

Another case of “talking” about being “social” but not actually “being” “social”!

Enough said!

Next time I have a spare few quid I think I’ll go for the pizza but since I have the latest book about all things “social media and relationship building” on my bookshelf, I’ll have a flick through it now and then if I have absolutely nothing to do, the Internet has closed down, TV doesn’t work and if the dog has eaten all the other partially read books that weren’t worth the cover price.

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